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H-2 Honey-BeeClassic Aero Enterprises

Aerobatic biplane designed by Bert Howland; first flew in 1986.
The H-2A was recognized as best in the Ultralight/Lightplane
category at the 1992 EAA East Coast Fly-in.

The H-2 Honey Bee, which took six months and
$12,000 to build, and first flew in 1987. After flying it for 120
hours, he sold it for $15,000. At the same time, he had completed a
second H-2 in a record time of four months. Like his other
air-craft, the H-2 was designed around the powerplant, in this case,
a 40-hp Rotax 447 turning a 68 x 28 Shettler wooden propeller.

The spunky little bipe features a 6½-inch-thick
airfoil that was designed by Howland. The equal-span wings have
ailerons on the bottom pair only. The leading edge spar is a D-cell
of 0.040 2024-T3 web capped with double 0.040 angles, the rear spar
is of similar materials in a C-section. The wing ribs, seven per
wing panel, plus four in the 28-inch centre section, are of 0.020
2024-T3 sheet metal [only on first H-2].

The fuselage is a welded truss structure made of
¾-inch square 6061-T6 tubing.

Howland' says he prefers to use square tubing
because of its structural strength. However, he did concede and use
round 6061-T6 tubing in the tail section. The entire plane is
covered with Ceconite 7600.

Wingspan of both wings is 19 feet, and chord is 4
feet, resulting in a total wing area of 152 square feet. Wing gap is
3 feet 11 inches, and N-struts are made of l-inch-diameter
0.083-wall 6061-T6 tubing. Flying and landing wires and tail braces
are stainless steel. The full-span, 1-foot-chord ailerons move 20°
up and down, and the 7-foot-span, l8-inch-chord elevators deflect
25° up and down. The rudder has a 30° left and right movement.

The steerable tailwheel system has a Gleason
polyurethane wheel and 5-inch tire capable of absorbing 450 pounds
of pressure~ Gear tread is 5 feet, and the wheelbase, 10 feet 9
inches.

The fuselage of the H-2 is 16 feet 6 inches long.
The cockpit is 22 inches wide, but it easily accommodates a 6-foot
3-inch, 23O-pound pilot. Layout is straightforward and typically
ultra-light-Spartan, with a hand-pull starter for the Rotax. A
5-gallon fuel tank is located just ahead of the cockpit, and a
turtledeck/headrest is just behind.